


Roleplay - One Piece - Neighbours Modern AU - Law | Emil

by saucyspinach, someidioticurl



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:41:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23576335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saucyspinach/pseuds/saucyspinach, https://archiveofourown.org/users/someidioticurl/pseuds/someidioticurl
Summary: One Piece Modern  Neighbours AU based RP between Lizard (Emil) and Lena (Law).We'll update tags as we goLizard: 7,247 / Lena: 5,607





	Roleplay - One Piece - Neighbours Modern AU - Law | Emil

One weekend morning, several days after returning from his recent business trip, Law went over to his neighbour’s flat and rang the doorbell. Months had passed since he had last properly hung out or conversed with Emil, but he looked just as he had before, so he figured she ought to recognise him and he expected her to open the door. If she had somehow forgotten his face, he thought she ought at least to recognise him by his black-and-white spotted hat and invite him in, for why wouldn’t she, when he wasn’t anyone suspicious-looking? 

Though perhaps it would be accurate to say that his showing up unannounced, carrying a family pack of twelve rolls of toilet paper, a potted cactus plant, and a large bag of doggy treats, was quite an unusual sight. But there was a purpose to his visit that early in the morning, besides to disrupt her sleep or to dump a weird assortment of items onto her. He needed a favor, and it was quite an urgent matter, that he had bought the doggy treats at the last minute hoping to sway her into saying yes. Of course, the doggy treats weren’t for Emil’s consumption but for Bor, though frankly, he wouldn’t judge if she were to enjoy them just as much. 

Emil - he remembered the last he saw her proper was before she had gone on her holiday. He had left on a business trip before she had returned, and for the following weeks, he had travelled regularly enough that he didn’t see much of her. He only hoped she had not moved away, or god forbid, even if they hadn’t always gotten along, kicked the bucket.

Should Emil decide to open the door to find out what the hell he wanted at eight o’clock on a Sunday, Law offered neither a good morning nor a friendly smile, for if he had, she should probably worry that the person standing in front of her door was an impostor. Instead, Law handed her the toilet paper and then the cactus. 

“For a belated Christmas, and for the few occasions I ran out and used yours,” he explained matter-of-factly. Of course, he hadn’t used her cactus and the toilet paper was not a Christmas present. It could be one, since toilet paper was a precious commodity, but even he wouldn’t stoop that low. Never mind that his ‘Christmas’ gift was months late. Better late than never. If she would take those items from him, lastly, he gave her the bag of doggy treats, and asked, “How’s Bor?” He would stand at her doorstep and wait until she stepped aside to let him in. For if she closed the door on him, he would only ring the doorbell again.

* * *

**Lizard**

Emil was in her bed, reading a book when her doorbell rang. Confused, not expecting anyone and unaware Law had returned, she made a face at Bor before rolling off the bed. Waggling his tail, Bor followed her out the bedroom and back, after Emil decided to greet the visitor while dressed in a bathrobe, not butt naked.

She unlocked and swung the door open without checking who was behind them first - Bor was behind her and would tackle to the ground anyone hostile. It wasn't necessary though, as Emil was sure both of them recognised this cold scowl contrasting with a temptingly fluffy hat. Opposed to him, Emil couldn't help but give away a soft smile. "Hello Law, I didn't know you were..." She hadn't even finished when Law handed her a pack of toilet paper and then a cactus. Each item in its own right was confusing but paired together, they left Emil baffled enough that if she was a cartoon character, there sure would be at least three question marks floating over her head. Then came Law's explanation and Emil snorted. And then openly laughed, unable to not imagine Law wiping his butt with any of her cacti she's never had.

"Oh, Law." Emil placed the cactus and the treats bag on the toilet paper pack and rubbed her eye, getting rid of any moisture that her laughing might have gotten there. "You should work on your delivery. Then again, if you were going to make me laugh, you did spectacularly. As for Bor..." Emil looked down, at her lovely, jet black Newfoundland. His tongue was out, his tail swinging side to side and his whole attention clearly on the bag of treats, no matter if in Law's or Emil's hands. "He's happy to you came."

Emil looked back at Law and nodded inside. "Lock the door behind yourself." She turned, walked to the open kitchen and placed the whole stack of gifts on the counter. "Unlike you, I don't even have a belated Christmas gift so I hope a cup of good coffee will do." Emil put on water and got out a bag of her favourite beans. "When have you come back? I missed you." She's been coming home late in the last week or so.

While Emil busied herself by the counter, Bor followed Law, attempting to lick his hands, demanding head pats.

* * *

// I'm grinning way too much at the 'I missed you' statement xD If Law takes it as she wanted to see him again, Emil will laugh again. //

* * *

**Lena**

The door opened and Law was glad to see that Emil had, after all, not kicked the bucket, though his expression remained impassive upon seeing her. He did, however, allow his eyes to roam over her person. His gaze lingered briefly on the bathrobe she had on (which looked extra cosy and fluffy, grades better than the soft wool bathrobe he had recently purchased on a self-indulgent whim) before he glanced up and met her eyes. He noted the smile on her face, though he couldn’t tell if she was truly pleased to see him, but he took it as a good sign that she was at least not displeased. Perhaps it was the time they’d been apart, but he thought she looked good. 

He didn’t get to dwell on why that thought crossed his mind, his attention diverting to the large Newfoundland behind her. The corners of his lips pulled slightly into a faint smile, though at Emil’s laugh, he lifted his eyes to her with a look of mild confusion, not knowing what had triggered her amusement. It was obvious to him that he referred to the toilet paper, not the cactus, when he spoke of using hers, for he didn’t think one could use a cactus for anything other than as decorative plants or for the psychedelic hallucinogens found in several species of cacti, which was what had initially piqued his interest in them. Of course, he also liked cacti because they were prickly, like he sometimes was, and they were resilient. Though on second thought, he could see that his explanation could’ve produced a misunderstanding. Alas, it hadn’t been his intention to make her laugh. And that was typical of him, that the only times he came across humourous was always unintentional. 

Law glanced down at Bor when Emil mentioned him. Bor looked overjoyed, though it was hard to say if Bor was more excited about the treats than about seeing him again. 

Law followed Emil into her apartment and locked the door behind him. He started towards the open kitchen but paused midway, bending over to shower Bor with an abundance of head pats. Bor licked his hands profusely, and it reminded him of the first time he’d met Bor while he was out on a jog and Bor had jumped on him and tackled him to the ground before slicking his face with copious amounts of dog saliva. Yet, Bor, with his loveable nature, was one of the few exempt from Law’s tendency to bear grudges. 

Joining Emil in her kitchen, he leaned back against the counter beside her, his arms relaxed by his sides as he turned his head to look at her sidelong while she brewed some coffee. 

“I would rather have a cup of good coffee over some novelty gift I have no use for,” he said. He raised his brows when she mentioned that she’d missed him. He guessed there was an eighty percent chance she was pulling his leg, though he'd like to believe there was some truth in her statement. “Oh, you did, did you?” He folded his arms and gave a slight smile. “I missed you too,” he said, with at least sixty percent sincerity. Even if he hadn’t always enjoyed her company a hundred percent of the time, that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it on some occasions. “And how was your holiday? The last time you mentioned something about taking a vacation.” He straightened up and pushed away from the counter, turning towards her.

“On that note, what do you say about taking a vacation soon? With me, of course,” he said with nonchalance, as though they were close enough to be taking vacations together. “I mean, just to be clear, I’m not offering you an all-expenses paid trip, to go on my behalf.” Except there was something he wasn’t telling her about the nature of this vacation he was inviting her on. He didn’t think it would be necessary to tell her just yet. “Actually, it’s more like a cruise, than a trip,” he added. “Three nights, on one of the world’s biggest cruise ships, under the Royal Caribbean line. All the fluffy bathrobes you could steal,” he said, half-jesting. “It’s already paid for, so just bring yourself, though I’m not sure if you’re able to make arrangements for Bor.”

* * *

**Lizard**

A small frown pulled Emil's eyebrows close and she paused with the kettle just over the coffee brewer. Law's 'I missed you too' comment felt a bit out of place but then she remembered she had been the first to say that. Emil snorted and poured some water over the grounds. She meant it as 'she missed the moment he came back' but it wouldn't be a stretch for Law to take it as she wanted to see him again kind of 'miss'.

Emil decided Law's 'miss' was the same as hers, put the kettle down after only wetting the grounds for them to bloom and - listening to Law's vacation offer with one ear - opened the pack of treats. "Who's my good boy?" Emil grinned at Bor and reached out one hand - one she didn't hold a single treat in. Without any verbal cue, Bor placed a paw in her hand and gave out a soft woof. Emil grinned. "Good boy." She gave him the treat and scratched behind both his ears, kissing the top of his head before returning to Law.

"I'll go." Emil took out four threats and slid them across the counter, to Law, before putting the rest of the bag in a cupboard. "Well, at least I'll go as long as it's not tomorrow or the next few days." She took the kettle and continued with pouring over the grounds. "A friend of mine would be delighted to spend a few days with Bor, but I can't just dump him on her, gotta give her a few days notice. I'll have to arrange for days off work as well."

Had Law already forgotten about the fact she _knew_ he was a private detective? It didn't take half a brain to figure out he just needed an excuse of a plus one for a job, instead of suddenly being forward enough to invite his lovely and irresistible neighbour on a cruise ship. As Emil took out two cups and filled them with warm water for them to heat up, she made a mental note to paster Law about getting a female co-worker so she could be his plus one. But some other time. Emil was going to use this one occasion to relax after busy three weeks at work.

Emil dumped the hot water off the cups and poured freshly brewed coffee in instead. "Who am I to act as?" She slid Law's mug closer to him before adding milk and sugar to her own. "Your girlfriend? Sister?" She squinted at Law. "Half-sister perhaps. We look similar but not _that_ similar to pass as full siblings." She took a sip of her coffee and smiled - it was delicious. "Whom are you going to investigate there anyway? I probably should know no matter if you want my active help or to stay away from them." Emil moved to sit on a couch. Cross-legged. Her robe was wide and long enough to accommodate such a way of sitting without putting her privates on display. "Hard to stay away from someone if you don't know who this 'someone' is." And there was no chance of a snowball in hell Emil would spend the whole cruise in her room.

* * *

**Lena**

Law scooped the four doggie treats into his palm and closed his fingers around them. He held his fist out to Bor, several inches above Bor’s nose, tempting Bor with the savoury chicken scent. A second or two later, Law decided he didn’t need his hand chomped off, so he relented and opened his palm. He tossed a treat into the air towards Bor, who caught it in his mouth and wagged his tail, expecting more.

“It’s in two weeks,” Law said. “So you have no excuse.” Law tossed Bor another treat. For fun, he aimed the third treat at Emil’s face. It bounced off her cheek and fell to the ground. Bor devoured it in a blink. Law tossed Bor the last treat before he carried his mug over to join Emil in the living room, taking a seat on the armchair beside the couch. He sipped the coffee as he contemplated her questions – she sounded excited, or at the very least, interested, which was great news, saved him the trouble of having to persuade her. Setting his mug down on the coffee table, he slumped back in the armchair.

“I’ll give you the details in a printed handout before our departure. Can’t reveal too much too soon. I’ll spoil it, won’t I?” His brows rose a fraction. He tilted his head to the side and propped his face against a fist. His lips curved into a small smile. “But no, not a sister, nor a half-sister. Not a girlfriend. Not a mother either, and certainly not a daughter.” His smile broadened, and he added, “Just my wife.” He expected Emil to snort or scoff at that. “It’s rare for siblings to go on a cruise together,” he said, as though that explained it. “As for everything else, I’ll tell you on the day itself, not to worry. Just, make time, and get packed. I’ll pick you up at ten in the morning on Friday, the 23rd. Boarding’s from 12 to 4, but we’ll reach earlier to avoid as much of the crowd as possible. Bring whatever you think is necessary.”

\--

On the morning of their cruise, Law knocked on Emil’s door five minutes past ten. Dressed in white chino shorts and a navy wool pullover with its sleeves pushed up to the elbows, a panama hat sitting lopsided on his head, he had behind him a large suitcase and a leather messenger bag was slung over his shoulder. Soon as the door opened, he reached out his hand and in his palm sat a black velvet ring box. He thrust it into Emil’s hands and then turned the back of his hand towards her, flashing the matching ring on his finger. “Before you ask, yes, it’s genuine,” he said. It had a two-carat diamond on a silver band. “And I want it back at the end of the trip, so don’t even think about pawning it or hurling it from the deck.”

A half-hour cab ride took them down to the port, and they joined the short queue at the check-in counters in the cruise terminal. Law slid over their boarding documents. Their IDs were checked, and their pictures taken by the security camera. The counter staff passed them their all-in-one electronic cards, schedules of the following days’ events, and a map of the ship. After passing through the security scanner, they made their way towards the gangway which led up into the ship. A few photographers hired by the cruise stopped them along the way, offering to take their picture, but Law declined with a wave of his hand.

The Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas was advertised as one of the largest cruise ships in the world, boasting an indoor amusement park, indoor and outdoor gardens featuring real trees, multiple pools and sports zones, numerous indoor shopping and entertainment options, including a casino, and a variety of restaurants catering to different cuisines and budgets. The opulence of the main atrium they entered into was nothing short of bedazzling, the burgundy plush velvet carpeting muting the sound of their footsteps.

The glass elevator took them up to deck nine, with the highest deck being eighteen, where their suite was located. Law handed Emil one of the electronic cards for her to keep, and gestured for her to do them the honours of tapping the card on the door scanner to unlock it for them to enter. He had booked them a junior suite, though its size alone was at least double either of their bedrooms. The suite was lavishly furnished and decorated. There was a sitting area with a couch, coffee table and flat-screen television. The balcony contained two chaise lounge chairs for enjoying the view of the ocean, and there were ample fluffy bath robes in the cupboards. Law left his suitcase aside, and flopped down to sit on the edge of the double king-sized bed, as though claiming it – lest Emil suggests he sleep on the couch instead of sharing it.

“So, what d’you think?” he asked, raising his brows. He wasn’t expecting her to be impressed, of course, though he wondered if she enjoyed such luxury. “Oh, and yes, would you like to know who we’re here for?” He stood up and went to check the fridge for any drinks. There were a few beers and soft drinks, with two bottles of wine stored in the cabinet above the pantry area, though he was certain they would be exorbitantly price (granted, everything on-board was bound to be, but it was still likely cheaper to get drinks from the restaurants, especially since the cruise fare included the buffets in the main restaurant and several other eateries. Law turned back to Emil, and parked himself on the couch. “Since you seemed so eager, before, perhaps I could use your help, after all. Now…how would you rate your skills of seduction, on a scale of one to ten, with some elaboration on your past successful attempts?”

* * *

**Lizard**

A wife, huh? He was so going to regret that.

-

Keeping a straight face grew easier the longer Emil was around Law. She had burst out in a fit of laughter at his outfit of choice - such a stereotypical posh tourist - but by the end of the taxi ride, she was able to look at him without giggling. She still smiled but it could be chucked on the story he was her 'beloved husband'. Dorian and Sybil Gray, they were. Emil wondered just what kind of connections he had for this job exactly that he had been able to get a fake ID for her in such short notice... Sure, if she contacted Jaya, Emil could get them just as quickly but Jaya was the head of a mafia family.

Sporting a wide-brimmed, white hat and a yellow sundress - an outfit she had quickly changed into after seeing Law's - Emil followed him around letting him do all the checking in and whatnot since he seemed to know the ropes. Emil paid her surroundings only enough attention to not walk into anyone or anything while keeping her nose in the booklet from Law and then brochures, maps and programme from the staff in between a book. She did it so if she looked confused about what was going on around her, people would think it was because she was reading, not because cruises weren't a normal occurrence in Sybil Gray's life.

Only once in their room, Emil lowered the book and let herself take in the surroundings. Their room was _big_. Whoever Law's client was, they had to be _filthy_ rich to pay for _that_. Other than this, Emil wasn't impressed. Many people grew anxious when surrounded by luxuries they weren't used to but Emil couldn't care less - after parking her suitcase beside the bed and dropping her backpack onto the mattress (ignoring Law sitting on it) she trotted to the kitchenette and started looking through cabinets. She found an electric kettle, a big cup and some tea she frowned at. While Law had a look through the fridge, Emil opened her suitcase and took out a small box with her own selection of teas.

"What do I think?" She sighed, putting the water on. "I think you are after some filthy rich bastard. Sure, I've checked out this cruise but I thought we would be on the lower decks, not..." Emil waved at the room. "Middle. So yes, I'm _very_ curious who we are after exactly." He mentioned it was infidelity investigation in the booklet but not the name of either his client or the target. Leaning back against the counter - waiting for the water to boil- Emil rolled her 'wedding' ring around her finger. It felt uncomfortable - she wasn't used to wearing rings. The only jewellery she wore was her necklace with her engagement ring... Emil paused, staring at the fake ring...

They both were silver so why not? She shrugged, snorted, slid off the fake ring and threw it at Law. "I might have agreed to help you out, Law, but remember that at the end of the day, I'm here to have fun, not to work." She took off her necklace, untied the leather string and slid her old, engagement ring onto her finger. A simple, silver band without any gem but with an engraving of fishes. "I might adjust my behaviour to fit the target's preferences but I have no intention to have a stick up my ass the whole time just because I wouldn't catch the target's eye otherwise. Also-" the kettle finished so she turned around to pour water into her cup- "what kind of a man is he? If he has a nasty personality I wouldn't wanna touch with a three-meter long stick, then forget the seduction thing; you can try to befriend him yourself and suggest you two cheat on your wives together." She snorted. "Either with each other or in a group orgy scenario, I don't care." She gasped, bringing her hands to her mouth. "Dorian." Her voice broke and her shoulders shook as she brought them closer. "How?" Lowering her hands from her mouth to her chest, Emil took an unsteady step forward. "Why?" she cried, her eyes tearing up. "Why would you do this?" Her breath hitched as she looked at Law with heartbreak. "Darling? Nope." She stood up straight and walked over to Law, picking his hat off his head. "I still can't at your outfit. Are you going to wear something similar all the time?"

* * *

**Lena**

From across their suite, sprawled on the plush couch like he owned the place, Law eyed Emil, already in character as Sybil, brewing tea in the kitchenette, with an impressed look on his face. While, like Emil, he wasn’t impressed with the surrounding luxury, Emil’s zest and fervour for playing the part of his aristocratic wife was deserving of commendation and a standing ovation, especially with her immediate brewing of tea, the way she dismissed the complimentary teas as beneath her, how she’d foreseen the disappointing quality of the complimentary teas and had prepared a small box of her own, the way she kept her nose buried in a book to look all educated and important – the whole schtick was laudable. He felt a fleeting flush of pride; he’d good taste in picking his wives.

The faint glow on his face vanished as he watched her appraise the fake ring, his brows knitting. Was she unsatisfied? Not enough carats worthy of his darling? Sybil was truly hard to please. Law had not expected the fake ring to go sailing across the room – she’d hurled it at him, the nerve, and it'd bounced off his forehead – and spent a good several seconds bent over, fishing for the ring amidst the thick wool carpeting – of course, not before he gave her a sharp look conveying his displeasure and disappointment in her. Sighing – it was going to be a long trip – he stashed the fake ring into the pocket of his shorts and gave his best attempt at patiently and attentively listening while she highlighted that she was there for fun and wouldn’t go anywhere near an abhorrent personality.

Law opened his mouth to ask if the suggested group orgy included her participation either as Sybil Gray or as Emil Utter, but her gasp silenced him and he sat through her theatrics with his head cocked to the side and a look of amazement plastered on his face. He had to admit, the name Dorian rolled off her tongue nicely, and frankly, he was surprised she hadn’t slapped him – he’d expected her to jump at any opportunity to do so. A slight smile tugged at his lips in approval of her acting expertise, but the corners of his mouth turned downwards the second she scorned his outfit. His face scrunched up with a flavour of bitterness. How soulless, how unwarranted, to criticise your husband’s style. She had laughed at his clothes earlier, and he had borne with it, even if he failed to see what was so comical about his dressing. What about _her_ yellow sundress? It wasn’t _yellow_ enough, but _he_ wasn’t complaining. Seriously, he blended in with the other upper-class folk. What else was he supposed to wear? A tuxedo?

“What’s wrong with my outfit?” he felt compelled to ask, his voice on edge. He plucked his hat from her hand and tugged it down on his head, effectively flattening his hair. “And no, of course, I’m not going to wear something similar all the time. The rich don’t repeat their outfits, do they? Naturally, in the pool, I wouldn’t be dressed like this, nor would I be inside the casino.” He smoothed out the non-existent creases in his shorts. “And, it was the recommendation of a few professionals I consulted that this is fashionable cruise vacation wear.” The few professionals being his closest friends. Bepo had given him two thumbs-up and Shachi had assured him he would ‘nail all the chicks’.

Law stood up and took Emil’s hand in his, the way he imagined someone might take another's hand in marriage. He held her hand as he examined her ring, and pulled a slight frown at the engraving of fishes on the band. Clearly, the ring had sentimental value, though he’d have been mildly surprised to learn that it was an engagement ring. Affecting the utmost decorum, he bowed his head and kissed the back of her hand. “Behave yourself, Sybil,” he said, raising his gaze to her, more imploring than warning. He lowered her hand and put on a dour expression. “We have appearances to keep up. I have business clients to meet. You will be on your best behaviour and refrain from doing anything to embarrass me.” He released her hand only to wrap his fingers around her wrist. “Save your crocodile tears for court,” he added, letting go. He turned his back to her for a second or two, closing his hands into fists by his sides, then he spun around on his feet. “Like you’re one to talk,” he said, his tone accusatory. He got in her face, a dark look flashing in his eyes that narrowed. “You think I don’t know about Edgar Wilde?” He’d considered adding a sarcastic ‘ _darling_ ’ but couldn’t bring himself to utter the word. Having demonstrated his part, his face relaxed into a neutral expression.

“Great, seems our aliases are foolproof,” he said, with the briefest of smiles. “Didn’t know you were a budding Hollywood star; maybe you’ll catch your big break someday.” He patted Emil’s shoulder in mock consolation. “You could play the part of Carrie, or perhaps Mrs Lovett?” Unfortunate it was that he couldn’t have gone with the alias of Sweeney Todd. Law grabbed the cup of tea from the kitchenette and moved back to the couch, setting the tea down on the coffee table. “And don’t worry. I’m not asking for much; you’ll have plenty of time to relax, have fun, and meet other guys of your choosing. This wouldn’t even feel like work.” He pushed his hand into his pocket and palmed the fake ring with the genuine diamond. He rose to his feet and seized her other hand that wasn’t wearing the fish ring.

“There’s a voice recorder in this,” he explained, slipping the ring onto her ring finger. “Give the diamond a gentle twist, and it starts recording. Twist it again and it stops.” He released her hand and sat back down, glancing up at her with a small smile. “Oh, and Mr Leonardo Moretti likes his woman feisty, so you don’t have to worry about needing a stick up your ass. He likes brunettes too, so, you would be ideal.” His brows crinkled as his eyes lowered to her chest. “You might need some…padding, but not to worry about that either, for I’ve come prepared.” He gestured to his luggage, in which he had packed silicone bra pads. “I trust your seduction is as convincing as your acting. Compliment him, I’m sure he’d like that.” He tilted his head a little to the side, scrutinising Emil’s face. “You’re not half bad in the looks department,” he said sincerely. “With some lipstick and mascara, you’ll catch his eye without much effort. He also just about shags anything that moves. Says the wife. Who also wants a divorce.” They also had kids, plural, but that info wasn’t necessary to impart.

“As you’ve figured,” he went on, “the wife, Angela, requests evidence of her husband’s cheating and adultery. She already knows he’s guilty of both.” Since Emil had taken the tea (he had thought she would brew another for herself), he moved into the kitchenette and poured himself a glass of warm water. “Moretti has been sneaky, thus far, but on this cruise, his whereabouts are easier to track; the only sure-fire way he could escape would be by jumping off deck.” He set the glass down on the table and retrieved a photograph from a folder in his suitcase. “Your prince charming for the cruise,” he said, handing Emil the photograph. An elegant middle-aged couple sat posing in it, with a noticeable gap between them on the leather couch, their knees turned away from each other. Leonardo Moretti wore his age well, appearing a decade younger, his greying curly hair lending to the charm he oozed with his winning smile; his cashmere wool suit accentuated a trim figure. His wife, Angela, was around his age, with a face rendered largely inexpressive thanks to Botox and a thin smile painted a garish red.

“Whether he has a nasty personality…that’s for you to find out. I can’t reveal all the surprises.” He sat down on the couch and reached for his glass. “On the public front, he seems well-liked.” Leonardo threw extravagant parties thronged with the elite and to get one’s name on the invite list was supposed to be a great honour. Women congregated around him, young ladies and older dames both; men liked doing him favours. There were rumours about Moretti’s temper tending to spiral out of control with increased levels of intoxication, but Law didn’t think it would come to that. “I have his cabin number, but of course, you would approach him in a public area. He’ll be at the Rainforest Restaurant tonight, and he’s a habitual gambler, so we can expect him at the casino tonight. I need you to get close.” He needed Emil to have Moretti take her back to his cabin as well, and also to obtain photographic evidence, with or without spiking Moretti’s drink first. This, he decided he would tell Emil later. “I’ll even compensate you for your efforts. Oh, and-”

From his suitcase, he fished out a black leather clutch, a genuine Prada, except a tiny spy camera had been installed inside, night vision enabled. He passed her the clutch. “You just need to open the zip a small crack,” he said, demonstrating it, “and it’ll start or stop filming when you tap the button on the side. That’s more for…in the bedroom. Elsewhere, I’ll take care of the photography.” He drank a gulp of water and turned back to her. “How are you with self-defence?” he asked, regarding her with a trace of concern. “Oh, but this I don’t need a demonstration,” he clarified. “Anyway, you have some time. I only need you in the evening, so you can go exploring, partying, swimming, shopping, whatever you please, though I'd watch the alcohol intake if I were you. And I reckon you don’t want my company, with my apparently abhorrent dressing?”

* * *

**Lizard**

Emil rose an eyebrow at Law's statement, that he had consulted professionals. Just what kind of 'professionals' were they? Were all Law's colleagues as 'professional'? How came he was still in business?

As he examined her ring, she examined him. His expressions. His mannerism. Was he 'Law', or was he 'Dorian'? Would he be a decent actor or would his act be as 'professional' as those colleagues who had approved his outfit... Perhaps it _was_ their aim to distract people? If that was the case, they had accomplished their goal as Emil _still_ struggled not to giggle or at least smirk.

He kissed her hand, she gave him a fond smile.

Law wasn't half bad. Some people were such poor actors you could tell from a mile they acted but Law's Dorian felt genuine... Until, he turned away and spun back, acting angry. Emil's eyes widened at his outburst and she pressed her lips into a thin line. Her expression could be interpreted as a shock but the truth was she held back a chortle. What was this _turn_?! Was he going to do that _every_ time?! Emil hoped he wouldn't. She was going to throw the whole mission and kick his butt sore if he did this ridiculous spin in public... Low-key she hoped he did so she could point it out for the rest of his life.

"Foolproof, yes." Proud of her control, Emil grinned ear to ear only once Law walked past her. A big flop or not, this whole ordeal was going to be entertaining for sure.

Her smile dropped and she puffed her cheeks, motioning at _her_ tea, now in _Law's_ hands. She had made it for herself! He could make himself whatever bad complimentary coffee or tea there was in this room!

With the fake ring back on her finger, Emil scrutinised it again. She hadn't noticed the recording device - she had gotten rusty. With her eyebrows knitted, she gave the diamond a slight twist - despite Law's explanations, complaints and dubious compliments, she heard a faint click. It would be inaudible though if she didn't hold the ring only a few inches from her ear. She turned the diamond again, picked _her_ tea from the coffee table and sat at an angle on the couch. She rubbed the plush, smiled and took a sip of her delicious tea. With a sigh of satisfaction, she lidded her lips and deflated, relaxed.

She opened her eyes back when Law handed her the photo. Drinking her tea, she took a long look. Leonardo Moretti wasn't bad looking, nor was he an old man. He _was_ older than any guy Emil would go after but not enough she felt weirded out by the idea of flirting with him. Judging from the photo, she wasn't surprised they were falling apart either. Leonardo Moretti, she repeated in her mind, memorizing the name - she would have to look him up later. What did he do for the living? What did he do for the pleasure? Other than gambling and cheating, of course. She dropped the photo on the table and had a look on the clutch and the camera in it. Just as with the ring, she turned it on and off.

"Your outfit is not abhorrent, Ian," she spoke in a British accent. An upper class, posh accent. A soft smile painted her lips as she looked up at Law - it's been a while since she had a reason to display her knack for accents. Emil put the clutch and her tea on the table and patted the seat beside her. "I would call it stereotypical. Be a dear and sit down, I have a few questions I'd like you to answer." She gave it a pause, clicked her tongue. "A few comments for you to listen to and a really only one question for you to answer."

Waiting for him to do as requested, Emil leant over and unstrapped her sandals. She lifted her feet onto the seat but instead of sitting cross-legged - as Emil had in a habit - she kept her legs together, folded to the side. "Going from the top-" Emil adjusted her dress so it covered her naked legs-" don't worry, I have no intention to misbehave in public. I shall do my best to be your graceful wife outside this room at all times and most of the times inside." Emil regarded her hands, took off both rings, before sliding them back onto one finger, the diamond one first, her engagement ring second - if she was going to be uncomfortable, she could at least limit it to one ring finger.

"Second thing, you're lucky I thought to arrange for a collection of jewellery and nice makeup." Emil nodded toward Law's luggage. "Though if you brought me silicon pads, I wouldn't be surprised to find there - as you put it - some lipstick and mascara." If he had, that's better - it meant Emil didn't have to use up her friend's supplies. "No need to pull it out right now if you had, it can wait till after we are done here." She let a slight smirk curl her lips - it all would depend on Law's reply to her 'question' just how long it would take them to 'be done'.

"Next, I don't want any compensation." She clicked her tongue, waving a forefinger at him. "I am your _wife_ , Ian." Yes, she had already picked a nickname for him. Ian, because Dory sounded a bit off. As amusing as Emil would _love_ to call Law 'Dory', Sybil was too serious for such nonsensical nicknames. "I support you, you support me. If you really thought I would be satisfied with monetary compensation, you should have brought in a hooker."

"Now, for the question, darling." Emil hummed the last word, learning her temple against the plush backrest, with half-lidded eyes and a soft smile, she watched Law as if he was a lovely picture. "It has a bit of a build-up so please be patient with me. Your brochure-" without looking away from him, Emil motioned toward the bed, where she had left all her reading materials beside her backpack. "It summarises our past wonderfully. You, the third child of a wealthy family seek to start your own antique company. I, the second child of an equally wealthy family owning a couple of vacation resorts in Britain. While happy to carry on the family business, I dabble with theatre acting. That's how we met - you watched my play and went backstage to congratulate the actors. We dated for just over a year and got married two and a half year ago."

Emil clicked her tongue and let the silence fill the room for a second or two before she rose to her knees and shifted closer to Law. "All nice and wonderful, Ian." She sat backwards on the sofa, with her hip just beside Law's thigh, her knees pressing against the backrest beside his hip. She put her hand on the armrest on Law's side, 'trapping' him in his seat. "I know all the important _facts_ but here's my question-" she leant in an inch closer, though he still had plenty of breathing room- "how does our marriage _feel_ like?"

She glanced back, on the coffee table, on the photo. "We are too young for our marriage to grow bitter and distant just yet." Emil turned back to Law and eyed him, from his face down to his torso and back up to his face. "You're handsome, Ian." She touched his cheek and trailed her fingers along the jawline to his chin. "Handsome, intriguing, charismatic. You _are_ -" she took a breath, searching for the right word and exhaled with a sly smile curling her lips- "inciting. No one in their right mind would believe I'm cheating on you. Especially," she nodded at the ring on her hand- "considering I'm supposed to _not_ take off _our_ ring. We haven't married each other for money. We've already had ours. We haven't married for connections or fame, we've already had enough of it to not need such drastic steps as a fake marriage." 

Emil tilted her head, once again clicking her tongue - she'd decided it would be Sybil's little tendency. "How does our marriage feel like, Ian?" She rested her free hand on Law's thigh - an equal distance from his knee and crotch - and rubbed tiny circles in it with her thumb. "We don't cheat. No, it would make no sense. We have an open marriage. We both like to have a threesome. Or a foursome. We are fine with not participating while the other has fun too. Men, women, we swing both ways. Leon's wife is not on the cruise? Oh, what a shame. We can have a threesome now but foursome next time. Otherwise, it wouldn't be fair after all, would it? Expecting little me to give myself into a stranger's arms while you are _not_ willing to do the same." Emil lend in closer and lifted her hand from Law's tight to the collar of his jumper. She rolled it between her fingers, picking at it. "You've _chosen_ me, Ian." And she had decided to make him regret his decision to make her his _wife_. Was it blackmail? Possibly. Was she sorry? No.

Looking at Law's lips - that were already on her eye level with their height difference - Emil shifted closer. "How. Does. Our. Marriage. _Feel_. Like. Love?" She asked the third time, sure this time they were close enough he could feel her breath on his neck and aware 'love' sounded similar to 'Law'. "Don't _tell_ me. _Show_ me. Think just how much you're willing to do to achieve what you want and _show_ me." She smirked, looking up into Law's eyes, a mischievous twinkle in her own.

" _Kiss_ me."

* * *


End file.
